The standard single-wheel pitching machine utilizes a wheel and a stationary pinch plate to guide the pitched balls uniformly to a pitch release point. The circumference of the ball being pitched typically determines the spacing between the pitching wheel and the pinch plate. Fixed common settings can typically accommodate 12-inch circumference softball, 11-inch circumference softball, and 9-inch circumference baseball.
A ball entry chute is provided to guide the ball to the pitching machine pitching wheel. The pitching wheel accelerates the ball and pinches the ball between the pitching wheel and the pinch plate. The ball travels along the pinch plate to the pitch release point, a point where the ball looses contact with the pitching machine. Typically, a variable speed motor is utilized to drive the pitching wheel. A control is typically provided to vary the speed of the wheel and thus the speed of the pitched ball. The ball is shot out, of the pitching machine, to the batter with certain pitch dynamics. Such pitch dynamics can include a specific height, pitch speed, and pitch trajectory angle. The dynamics of the pitch are typically controlled by the pitching wheel speed, and the angle or tilt of the pitching machine.
A problem with the standard pitching machine is that the pinch plate is fixed and to vary the pinch plate typically requires stopping the pitching machine to make adjustments, and then restarting the machine. In addition, typically some dismantling and reassembly of pitching machine parts is required to make adjustment to the pinch plate. Furthermore, the pinch plate is typically only adjusted to accommodate different size balls, such as the 12-inch circumference softball, 11-inch circumference softballs, and 9-inch circumference baseball and once adjusted remains fixed.
Such adjustments to the pinch plate take longer than a batter is accustom to waiting, as compared to the time in-between pitches or time in-between batters, and can require a series of test pitches to fine tune the pitch trajectory and accuracy after adjustment. As such, such modifications to the pitching machine cannot be performed to provide variation in pitch dynamics to simulate the conditions batters typically face in game situations.
Another problem with the standard pitching machine is that with the fixed settings the pitch dynamics remain constant. As a result, every pitch is virtually identical. In this regard, batters can become more conditioned to the constant and repetitious pitch dynamics then to learning how to hit different types and kinds of pitches.
In other words, the fixed wheel speed and fixed trajectory angle, tend to cause the pitched balls to arrive at the batter in a fairly uniform location and at a fairly uniform speed. Unless the operator changes the setup of the pitching machine the pitched balls remain fairly consistent (typically within 2 or 3 miles per hour (MPH)). As such, the challenge to the hitter can be diminished in that every pitch is virtually the same.
To change the pitch dynamics typically tilt of the pitching machine in combination with varying the pitching machine wheel speed is required. This process can require significant time, trial and error adjustments, and a series of test pitches to fine tune the pitch speed and pitch location with respect to the batter. Though alone varying the speed of the pitching wheel can change ball speed, simply changing the pitching wheel speed can result in a pitch that is too high, or falls short of the strike zone. As such, varying only the pitching wheel speed does not produce adequate results.
To vary types and kinds of pitches pitched to a batter typically two or more pitching machines are employed and setup side-by-side. Each pitching machine is typically setup to throw a different type or kind of pitch (i.e. fastball, changeup, curveball, etc.). Balls are then presented to one of the pitching machines pseudo random to vary the pitched balls presented to the batter. However, the setup of multiple pitching machines to vary pitch types is also a flawed approach in that the batter can see which pitching machine is pitching the ball and thus knows what type of pitch to anticipate. In addition, the cost of this approach in requiring multiple pitching machines can be prohibitive and problematic in and of itself.
There is a long felt need for a pitch dynamics device that can be used on a single-wheel pitching machine for adjusting the pitch dynamics of pitched balls, which in part gives rise to the following invention. In this regard, there is a need for a pitch dynamics device that can allow a pitching machine to throw different types and kinds of pitches with similar accuracy in a batter's strike zone area without changing the pitching machine setup, which may include recalibrating the pitching machine, throwing a series of test pitches to verify pitch accuracy, changing pitching machine wheel speed, or adjusting pitching machine tilt angle.